In the morning skate, Zach Parise was with Travis Zajac and Ilya Kovalchuk while Petr Sykora and reunited with Patrik Elias and Dainius Zubrus.

"Obviously we didn't score a goal last game," DeBoer said. "Shuffling guys around has been something we've done all year. I'm definitely not married to those combinations. I'm not even sure we're going to start with those combinations. It's just how we decided to skate this morning."

The moves came as no surprise to Kovalchuk.

"We have to be more productive so that's why the lines were changed," Kovalchuk said. "The lines were shaky a little bit so we'll see what happens tonight."

Parise weighed in.

"We got shut out in the first game. We just have to do a better job of finishing, but I don't know the reasons behind this," Parise said. "Maybe (DeBoer) saw something different and he wanted to change.

"Who knows? It might not be the way it's going to be tonight. It can be a nice jump start sometimes. I've played with Travis for as long time and I've played with Kovy quite a bit this year. Patty's line did real well this season. They were very consistent, so we'll try that and hopefully it will work."

"I love playing with Sykie and Zubie," he said. "Pete (DeBoer) always knows. I think he's done a great job timing the changes right."

The Devils are looking to get more traffic in front of goalie Henrik Lundqvist.

"I think that's something we have to do a much better job of, getting in his sight line a little more and making it a little harder for him," Parise said. "And getting shots through, not looking for the perfect shot. Get shots to the net and try to create a scoring chance out of that.

"I think we still have another level. Our effort can be better than it was."

Parise said the mood of the team remains positive.

"Because it's just one game in a seven-game series," he noted. "I think if you start feeling sorry for yourself after one road game, that's when things can really go south in a hurry. So we still feel good about the way we played. It wasn't our best game but I think we're confident knowing we played well enough and had a chance to win the game."

Elias said the mood is upbeat.

"You have to stay the course. You can't get too high and you can't get too low no matter what is going on out there," Elias said. "That's an important (factor) in being successful in the playoffs. It seems like it can be a long road but you have to focus on one road and one game always. You can get too frustrated or too up. You just try to learn from mistakes."

David Clarkson is now skating with Alexei Ponikarovsky and Adam Henrique.

"We're a deep lineup so you can juggle things in different situations," Clarkson said.

* * *

Elias said he is fine after being cut below his nose by a deflected puck late in the first period of Game 1.

"I'm good," Elias said. "It's not pleasant to get a puck right up in your nose, but it's fine. It's a bloody nose. It's not like I saved a goal with that."

* * *

Transcript from John Tortorella press conference today:

Question. The guys you brought up, how do you use them, not in the series,
but what is the thought behind having them up here?

COACH TORTORELLA: Just have players ready to play in case we run
into injuries.

Q. What has been the key do you think of your strong recent third
periods?

COACH TORTORELLA: Staying with it.

Q. Being aggressive?

COACH TORTORELLA: Staying with it.

Q. John, if you've got a guy who is not going offensively that you
know can. What has historically been your tactic? Do you talk to him? Do
you just ride it out?

COACH TORTORELLA: Depends on the player. Depends on the player,
depends on the situation. It's a question that I can't answer because it
all depends on the situation.